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Rutgers starting CB Ian Thomas abruptly quits to pursue baseball at another school

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Redshirt freshman cornerback Ian Thomas, who started the first three games, abruptly quit the team today to pursue a baseball career at another school, according to coach Kyle Flood.
(Frank H. Conlon/For The Star-Ledger)

Rutgers’ beleaguered and youthful secondary, already reeling from the loss of starting cornerback Lew Toler to a likely season-ending injury, was sent staggering even more Tuesday with the news that part-time cornerback starter Ian Thomas has abruptly left the team to pursue a baseball career at another school.

Coach Kyle Flood announced Thomas’ stunning decision Tuesday following the first day of practice during the bye week, acknowledging that "it’s a strange occurrence to me."

The departure by the redshirt freshman from Baltimore, who had started three games during a 4-2 season, surprised even his teammates.

"I had no idea," said linebacker Kevin Snyder. "I walked into breakfast and somebody told me he was cleaning out his locker. I had no idea it was coming."

Strong safety Lorenzo Waters was equally taken aback.

"He has a calm attitude, so I never really had any heightened awareness to it," Waters said.

Thomas, a converted wide receiver, could not immediately be reached for comment on his cell phone.

A school official said he was not made privy to Thomas’ plans as to where he might transfer or whether he would finish out the semester. Anthony Burgos, Thomas’ football coach at Franklin (Md.) High School, said his former player did not play high school baseball.

Asked about Thomas’ decision to quit football, Burgos said "I did not see it coming."

The immediate impact on what is surely the nation’s youngest cornerback unit is that the position has, incredibly, gotten even younger. Rutgers’ secondary was struggling as it was, with the Scarlet Knights ranking 118th (out of 123 schools) nationally in pass defense.

Toler, a fifth-year graduate transfer who started five games, may not return in time for even a bowl game after suffering a broken left arm in Thursday’s 24-10 loss to Louisville. With junior Gareef Glashen missing the past two games for personal reasons, that left true freshmen Nadir Barnwell and Anthony Cioffi as the corners along with Toler, until he was hurt.

Glashen returned to practice and the team Tuesday, softening the blow from Thomas’ departure, but Rutgers’ five corners will now be a junior with one career start (Glashen), three true freshmen (with Delon Stephenson now forced to move up in the rotation) and a redshirt freshman (Jevon Tyree) who has played only sparingly in games.

"I really didn’t see a sign that it would happen," Flood said of Thomas’ decision. "It’s a strange occurrence to me, but it happens, and it happens here and it happens at other places. I saw an article about a kid at UCF (defensive end and sack leader Blake Keller) who was playing for them and decided that it just wasn’t the right place for him for whatever reason.

"Players make their decisions. Division 1 football is certainly very demanding, and if you’re not 100 percent and your heart is not in it I could see why somebody would want to move on."

Cioffi and Barnwell admitted after the Louisville game that they felt picked on by Cardinals quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

Rutgers returns to action on Oct. 26 at home against Houston — a spread team that uses four and five wide outs. That will stretch the secondary even more, and will make the true freshmen corners even bigger targets.

"I wouldn’t expect anything less," said Snyder. "I think if you’re a smart offensive coordinator you’re certainly going to pick on our corners. But I think they’re going to surprise some people as the season goes on."